new virtual lab for a newbie?

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just been reading some of ffreeloader's threads talking about virtual labs and wondered if anyone can explain/advise on how and what etc... should mention im aiming for a+, n+, mcse, and security plus if that helps? grateful for any replies folks, thanks.

 

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I'm not sure how much you know about virtual machines to begin with. Basically, a virtual lab is just a collection of virtual machines (VM) organized in one or more subnets. VMs can be of any OS you are commonly going to use including Windows and Linux.

The two major virtual machine applications are:

VMWare Workstation

and

Virtual PC

Give those two links a read and see if it gives you a better understanding. It might help for you to have that foundation before we continue this discussion. Hope this helps.

 

Our very own Phoenix wrote a review on vmware here, take a look.

 

Well, errr... Ummm... Actually... I've never had a thread on virtual labs as I, unfortunately, don't have any VM software. Wish I do, but can't afford it. If I add to my lab I'll just get second hand pc's that people either give to me or that I get for next to nothing. I use a KVM switch so I can run all my computers off one monitor, keyboard, and mouse in my lab. I can run up to eight computers by way of one KVM switch.

 

thanks guys, these helped me understand a bit more about vlabs but after reading phoenix's article i think im going to have to upgrade my hdd, cos i know it isn't that big and im pretty sure it doesn't have 8mb cache! ho-hum...

 

Actually, I have a question that I've wondered about in the VM Ware realm.

Can you sniff network traffic between virtual machines?

 

can u explaing in laymans what you mean by kvm switch? take it kvm is a company name? what kind of hardware would you need to setup loads of pcs for ?

 

moominboy,

A KVM switch is an acronym for Keyboard, Video, Mouse switch. You just run cables from each computer for the keyboard, video and mouse to input ports on the switch. You then have ports that you hook your monitor, mouse, and keyboard into. Then you can switch between computers by the flick of a switch or the use of hotkeys.

Right now I have 5 computers hooked into one KVM switch and run all 5 computers using 1 monitor, 1 keyboard, and 1 mouse.

In my research the IOGear KVM switches are probably the best value because those with up to four ports come with all the cables, and for those that use more than four ports IOGear's cables are the most reasonably priced. I've had my switch for 3 years now with no problems whatsoever.

 

ok, i see what u mean,seperately controlling several pcs through only one monitor etc... but have you got a setup that allows, erm, not sure if this is right but, using your processors in series? as in, say youre playing a game or complicated app. could you use more than one of your systems to kind of join in?

 

You are misunderstand what is happening. I have 5 separate, networked over ethernet, computers. 2 are strictly servers, 3 are workstations that have some open source server components such as samba, cups, apache, postgresql, etc... running on them so I can integrate Linux and my Windows servers into the same network.

The only way the computers are connected is through ethernet cables, and that they have the video, keyboard, and mouse connectors on each of them connected to the KVM switch. A KVM switch gives you access to only one computer at a time.

It's a real live network hooked through a router, not a virtual network on one computer.

 

ah i get it. i did understand at first but obviously got mixed with virtual nets and stuff too.

 

No problem. It's far better to ask questions than to go about with a misunderstanding.